Piano Faculty - Tasha George-Hinnant

Instrument/Department: piano

Joined Hochstein faculty in: 2017

In addition to serving on the Hochstein faculty, Tasha George-Hinnant maintains a private studio in Rochester's Upper Monroe neighborhood. She has been teaching piano for 10 years in the upstate and western regions of New York. In addition to teaching, Tasha is active as a soloist, chamber musician, and composer in the Rochester area. Recent projects include "Small Talk," a piece specifically composed to be performed with two dancers, which was featured at the 2016 Rochester Fringe Festival. Past faculty positions have included the Community School of Music and Art in Ithaca, NY, and Aria's School of Music and Art in Greece, NY. She has also contributed as a staff member at Hochstein in the past.

Tasha holds an M.M. in Piano Performance from Ithaca College, and an Advanced Certificate in Piano Pedagogy and a B.M. in Piano Performance from Nazareth College. Previous teachers have included Phiroze Mehta, Brian Preston, and Michael Salmirs, among others. She has also participated in a variety of master classes with pianists such as Thomas Rosenkranz and Andrey Pisarev. Tasha is a member of the Music Teachers National Association, and serves on the board of the Rochester Piano Teachers Guild. When she is not playing or teaching piano, Tasha enjoys playing with her dogs, knitting, and aerial acrobatics.

More About Tasha George-Hinnant

Hometown: Ithaca, NY

What inspires me: The people around me, which, more often than not, are my students!

Why the arts matter: The arts are vital in so many ways. They function as an expressive, therapeutic outlet. They are a means of communicating with others. They help people (not just children!) develop mentally, emotionally, and physically. Most important, all of these things (and more) amounts to an aspect of humanity that is intangible and essential.

Favorite things to do in Rochester area: So many things, but the festivals are great!

My favorite local restaurant: I love food, so it's hard to choose, but Atlas Eats is up there at the top of my list.

Favorite place(s) to travel: I love going to places I've never been before.